"Students pretend to learn and teachers pretend to teach" according to Fried, everyone is playing the Game of School (GOS) from administrators all the way down to parents. I do not completely agree with this statement. There is still hope. While I was a teacher at an inner city middle school, I cannot say for certain that teachers were pretending to teach nor students were pretending to learn. You either had students that truly cared about their education and did everything possible to learn or you had students that education was not even on their radar due to even bigger issues - like would I have anything to eat today?, would I have a place to live tomorrow? Will mom or dad spend welfare money on drugs? For these students school becomes a place where they can have a meal and a place to bring some sort of normalcy.
What I also observed is that students played the game with certain teachers and they would not dare with other teachers.
How did I work through this dilemma in my classroom? With 100% certainty I can say that my students had such an impact on my ability to teach. My major was not education, but I did major in science so when the opportunity presented to teach at an inner city middle school I thought how difficult can it be, I love science and this should be more than enough. I was very wrong and after my first failed lesson plan, I had to be very creative in planning my lessons and labs. My success was not immediate because I had to get to know each of my students first. I also had to create a good learning classroom environment; right in front of my classroom I had a board that read “Expected Behavior”, not classroom rules. They needed to know that I had high expectations of them and I did not want to hear excuses, just wanted them to do their best.
Before I would plan my lessons, I asked myself, how can I make this topic/concept relevant to their life, age and culture? How can I spark their interest? How can I get them engaged? How can I get them to love science as much as I do? I wanted them to say “wow”.
Here are some examples of ways that I generated excitement, sparked interest and actively engaged my students in learning science in my classroom. Whenever the topic lent itself, I would do demonstrations to spark their interest. Other times, a day before introducing a specific concept, I would bring models and posters, and I would include a scientific drawing (good thing I like to draw) on an additional board I had; I was quite surprised that the drawings alone would spark their interest. Before class they were already asking me questions; they were already exploring the models, and/or the drawings. I had a couple of students that no matter what I did still were not interested. I knew that they had ADD, so changing their seating arrangement did not do much for their interest in the subject. I did notice that they used to write raps and they were always eager to share their raps with their classmates. I asked both of them to work together and write a rap about the topic “classification” for the next class. They were so excited about it. When it was time for them to share it with their classmates, the entire class was so quiet, they were acting as if they were about to take a test. It was a success. From that day on, whenever possible I would use music, especially rap as a way to get them interested. I was lucky enough to find good rap songs about different science topics on YouTube; some were even created by science teachers. The songs were so catchy that the whole class, along with me would rap concepts without much effort. I also used 3-D animations, especially when I taught life science. I used edible labs the most when I taught earth science. I would make a big deal about these labs to my students, so their expectations would build throughout the week, until the day of the lab, which was on Fridays –most of the times. The topic was radioactive decay and half-life. I told my students that at the end of the week we will model radioactive decay and half-life with m &m’s and Twizzlers. They were so excited and were actually counting down the days. I had a personal emergency the day of the lab, so they had a substitute. The following class, they were so upset with me because they were looking forward to the lab, some of my students even said that they wanted their other classes to pass by quickly so that it would be time to come to my class. That day I discovered the powerful effect edible labs had in creating excitement in my students. Another thing that surprises me the most is that those students talked about our labs for years. Every time, my former students would see me in the hallways they would tell me about the experience they had with one of my edible labs. Another activity that sparked their interest was the atomic dating personal ad activity. They had to apply what they knew about atomic bonding as they describe what their chosen element was looking for in order to be a happy atom. I posted their ads around the classroom and then they had to go play matchmaker for their atoms. Most importantly, my students had fun while they were learning. I also used to spend time looking for problem-based activities to encourage higher level thinking and problem solving. I wanted to encourage them to think like scientists and ask questions, ask why; search for answers to their questions. I also celebrated even the littlest of their successes and expected nothing less than their personal best from each and every student. The science department chair also taught me a very important lesson, each day I should reflect on what worked and what did not work in my lesson plan. Most importantly, my students helped me become a better teacher. They challenged me, helped me try new things and find new creative ways to teach a concept.
My highest priority as an educator was never to have my entire class pass the standardized science test; it was to inspire them to love science as much as I do. I did not want them to be afraid of science. I wanted them to view science as a fun subject. I also wanted them to retain the information they were learning for many years to come.
Another way that I worked through this dilemma in my school was to remove myself from negative thinking, and attitude from other teachers. Some wonder why I always looked calm and not a nervous wreck like some of them. I had my share of difficult days, days that my lesson plan did not go as planned, but one of the things that helped me get through those difficult days was my patience and empathy for the struggles that my students were facing in their lives.
The close relationship that I developed with my students was another key factor that helped me counteract GOS. It was very important for all of my students to know that I cared about their learning and their well-being. They knew how much I loved them, even when I used to correct an inappropriate behavior I would mention that it was not personal, it was because I love them and that I expected the best of them. I knew they were capable of so much more. I had high expectations. I would often tell them, remember that you are exceptional and not average or remember that you are a genius. Sometimes I used to say, remember that you got SWAG, but in my class SWAG had a different meaning, it meant Student Who Achieves Greatness!
The other science teachers couldn’t see themselves spend the amount of energy or personal money that I did. They would tell me that their own kids and personal life came first. Or sometimes they would tell me, I don’t get paid enough to do it. In my case, my students were my kids. As I became their teacher, a thought that crossed my mind was, what would I do or how would I teach or lead the class if my own kid was in my class. This is the reason I did everything that was possible for them to be engaged, to make sure they knew that I was there to help them succeed or just there to lend an ear and to teach them life skills whenever we had teachable moments.
One of the key indicators that GOS is being played is zero enthusiasm irradiating from the educators. They just put a show on when they are being observed. The other indicator is not having any drive to be creative in planning their lessons because they feel they do not get paid enough to put in all that work. Sadly enough this behavior leads their students to have no desire to participate, no interest in what they are learning and, most importantly, to a classroom environment where there is no real learning. Sometimes the impact of this apathetic behavior is so deep that some students give up all together and others are quite fine receiving a low grade in the class. Thus, GOS may have a domino effect; teachers’ behavior is being influenced by the school’s administrators and the students by their teachers.
One important factor that educators need to have in order to diminish or completely eliminate GOS is to be passionate and be genuinely enthusiastic about the subject matter they teach. I observed that the genuine enthusiasm alone is so contagious that it is powerful enough to engage and motivate most of the students. Educators also need to have high expectations. They have to believe that their students are capable of accomplishing so much more, this might require extra work but it is possible. They also have to be excellent observers and find out what is getting in the way of their students learning. In my years as an educator, I also observed that the “Get tough” strategy does not truly get students more interested in the subject, they just dread going to that specific class not because of the subject but because of the teacher. I would often hear my students complain about their next class not because they hated math or history but because they hated the teacher. Despite their day-to-day obstacles, If educators want to eliminate the GOS play by their students, then they need to dissolve their disinterest with their passion, creativity, genuine enthusiasm, and with their authentic commitment to the subject they are teaching and to their students. Will all of these strategies change or interrupt the GOS played by students? It is something educators need to try on their own. They may be surprised by the outcome.
What I also observed is that students played the game with certain teachers and they would not dare with other teachers.
How did I work through this dilemma in my classroom? With 100% certainty I can say that my students had such an impact on my ability to teach. My major was not education, but I did major in science so when the opportunity presented to teach at an inner city middle school I thought how difficult can it be, I love science and this should be more than enough. I was very wrong and after my first failed lesson plan, I had to be very creative in planning my lessons and labs. My success was not immediate because I had to get to know each of my students first. I also had to create a good learning classroom environment; right in front of my classroom I had a board that read “Expected Behavior”, not classroom rules. They needed to know that I had high expectations of them and I did not want to hear excuses, just wanted them to do their best.
Before I would plan my lessons, I asked myself, how can I make this topic/concept relevant to their life, age and culture? How can I spark their interest? How can I get them engaged? How can I get them to love science as much as I do? I wanted them to say “wow”.
Here are some examples of ways that I generated excitement, sparked interest and actively engaged my students in learning science in my classroom. Whenever the topic lent itself, I would do demonstrations to spark their interest. Other times, a day before introducing a specific concept, I would bring models and posters, and I would include a scientific drawing (good thing I like to draw) on an additional board I had; I was quite surprised that the drawings alone would spark their interest. Before class they were already asking me questions; they were already exploring the models, and/or the drawings. I had a couple of students that no matter what I did still were not interested. I knew that they had ADD, so changing their seating arrangement did not do much for their interest in the subject. I did notice that they used to write raps and they were always eager to share their raps with their classmates. I asked both of them to work together and write a rap about the topic “classification” for the next class. They were so excited about it. When it was time for them to share it with their classmates, the entire class was so quiet, they were acting as if they were about to take a test. It was a success. From that day on, whenever possible I would use music, especially rap as a way to get them interested. I was lucky enough to find good rap songs about different science topics on YouTube; some were even created by science teachers. The songs were so catchy that the whole class, along with me would rap concepts without much effort. I also used 3-D animations, especially when I taught life science. I used edible labs the most when I taught earth science. I would make a big deal about these labs to my students, so their expectations would build throughout the week, until the day of the lab, which was on Fridays –most of the times. The topic was radioactive decay and half-life. I told my students that at the end of the week we will model radioactive decay and half-life with m &m’s and Twizzlers. They were so excited and were actually counting down the days. I had a personal emergency the day of the lab, so they had a substitute. The following class, they were so upset with me because they were looking forward to the lab, some of my students even said that they wanted their other classes to pass by quickly so that it would be time to come to my class. That day I discovered the powerful effect edible labs had in creating excitement in my students. Another thing that surprises me the most is that those students talked about our labs for years. Every time, my former students would see me in the hallways they would tell me about the experience they had with one of my edible labs. Another activity that sparked their interest was the atomic dating personal ad activity. They had to apply what they knew about atomic bonding as they describe what their chosen element was looking for in order to be a happy atom. I posted their ads around the classroom and then they had to go play matchmaker for their atoms. Most importantly, my students had fun while they were learning. I also used to spend time looking for problem-based activities to encourage higher level thinking and problem solving. I wanted to encourage them to think like scientists and ask questions, ask why; search for answers to their questions. I also celebrated even the littlest of their successes and expected nothing less than their personal best from each and every student. The science department chair also taught me a very important lesson, each day I should reflect on what worked and what did not work in my lesson plan. Most importantly, my students helped me become a better teacher. They challenged me, helped me try new things and find new creative ways to teach a concept.
My highest priority as an educator was never to have my entire class pass the standardized science test; it was to inspire them to love science as much as I do. I did not want them to be afraid of science. I wanted them to view science as a fun subject. I also wanted them to retain the information they were learning for many years to come.
Another way that I worked through this dilemma in my school was to remove myself from negative thinking, and attitude from other teachers. Some wonder why I always looked calm and not a nervous wreck like some of them. I had my share of difficult days, days that my lesson plan did not go as planned, but one of the things that helped me get through those difficult days was my patience and empathy for the struggles that my students were facing in their lives.
The close relationship that I developed with my students was another key factor that helped me counteract GOS. It was very important for all of my students to know that I cared about their learning and their well-being. They knew how much I loved them, even when I used to correct an inappropriate behavior I would mention that it was not personal, it was because I love them and that I expected the best of them. I knew they were capable of so much more. I had high expectations. I would often tell them, remember that you are exceptional and not average or remember that you are a genius. Sometimes I used to say, remember that you got SWAG, but in my class SWAG had a different meaning, it meant Student Who Achieves Greatness!
The other science teachers couldn’t see themselves spend the amount of energy or personal money that I did. They would tell me that their own kids and personal life came first. Or sometimes they would tell me, I don’t get paid enough to do it. In my case, my students were my kids. As I became their teacher, a thought that crossed my mind was, what would I do or how would I teach or lead the class if my own kid was in my class. This is the reason I did everything that was possible for them to be engaged, to make sure they knew that I was there to help them succeed or just there to lend an ear and to teach them life skills whenever we had teachable moments.
One of the key indicators that GOS is being played is zero enthusiasm irradiating from the educators. They just put a show on when they are being observed. The other indicator is not having any drive to be creative in planning their lessons because they feel they do not get paid enough to put in all that work. Sadly enough this behavior leads their students to have no desire to participate, no interest in what they are learning and, most importantly, to a classroom environment where there is no real learning. Sometimes the impact of this apathetic behavior is so deep that some students give up all together and others are quite fine receiving a low grade in the class. Thus, GOS may have a domino effect; teachers’ behavior is being influenced by the school’s administrators and the students by their teachers.
One important factor that educators need to have in order to diminish or completely eliminate GOS is to be passionate and be genuinely enthusiastic about the subject matter they teach. I observed that the genuine enthusiasm alone is so contagious that it is powerful enough to engage and motivate most of the students. Educators also need to have high expectations. They have to believe that their students are capable of accomplishing so much more, this might require extra work but it is possible. They also have to be excellent observers and find out what is getting in the way of their students learning. In my years as an educator, I also observed that the “Get tough” strategy does not truly get students more interested in the subject, they just dread going to that specific class not because of the subject but because of the teacher. I would often hear my students complain about their next class not because they hated math or history but because they hated the teacher. Despite their day-to-day obstacles, If educators want to eliminate the GOS play by their students, then they need to dissolve their disinterest with their passion, creativity, genuine enthusiasm, and with their authentic commitment to the subject they are teaching and to their students. Will all of these strategies change or interrupt the GOS played by students? It is something educators need to try on their own. They may be surprised by the outcome.